Stereotype-block



(No Model.)

EQE. PRATT.

STEREOTYPE BLOCK.

No. 300,732. Patented June 17, 1884.

\JZW? \i/ Ljzw' 5*;3 3 .3 I I 1} Z- Z Z'messes: In 7/6725):

Z'dwnEPra/ZT M $1M, #W

its M11296:

EDIVIN E. PRATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. N. KELLOGG I NEWVSPAPER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

STEREOTYPE-BLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,732, dated June I7, 1884:.

\ Application filed August 3, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stereotype-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to removable stereotype-plates and supporting bed-blocks for the same, commonly used in printing newspaper and other matter requiring frequent changes in the form. It is now customary to make these plates quite thin, and to support them upon blocks which are fiat-surfaced upon the top, thereby affording the plates a bearing at all points. The blocks are customarily cor'ed or recessed longitudinally upon the under side to save metal and weight.

I have found by experiment that the same plates heretofore supported upon flat-surfaced blocks may be supported equally as well and safely upon blocks havinglongitudinally-cored upper surfaces instead of flat ones. In blocks having the upper cores the connecting body or web is necessarily located in a lower plane than in the old form, thereby enabling the block to better withstand the pressure of the form, which is greater near the feet of the type, and avoid the buckling and breaking sometimes occurring with the blocks cored below. WVhile this is a decided advantage, there is a further benefit to be obtained by employing the cored feature both upon the top and bottom faces of the block in the considerable economy of metal required to form the block. The nature of my invention'will be better understood from the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein.

Figure 1 is an end view of a plate and block embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 shows a modified form of the block.

In said drawings, 'A represents the stereotype-plate commonly used for the parts of the form requiring change, and B represents my improved bed-block. The latter is cored or recessed both above and below, at Z) Z), leaving the projecting ledges, or feet, as they are sometimes called, (indicated by b b,) atthe corners and intermediate of the cores, and a central horizontal web, 11 extending from edge to edge of the block. The extremities of the lower series of feet rest upon the bed of the press in the usual manner, while the upper ones support the plate. There are one or more feet intermediate between the feet at the sides of the block in order to sustain the center of the plate properly. The horizontal web or body, it will be noticed, occupies a plane located centrally between the bottom and top of the block, instead of being located wholly at the top, as in the old construction. This change fits the block to withstand the pressure of the form in the plane where it is greatest without the buckling or breaking sometimes occurring with the blocks cored upon the under side only, and it is obvious that the metal required to form the block is very considerably less than with the prior form.

The core-recesses may be exactly opposite each other in the block and be of the same shape, so that the block may be -used either side uppermost; or they may be shaped differently upon the difierent'sides, and differ also in size and number.

The plates may be locked to the blocks precisely as to other blocks heretofore used.

It is also obvious that the shape given to the core-recesses is wholly immaterial,provided the feet and the central web be present, as set forth. v

I claim a The combination, in a form, of aremovable stereotype-plate with a bed-block consisting of a central web and side and intermediate supporting -feet, substantially as specified.

Chicago, July 31, 1883.

EDIVIN E. PRATT. 

